


A Wondrous Moment

by Victoria_May



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: First Times, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 07:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/795498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victoria_May/pseuds/Victoria_May
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a Valentine's date ends in disaster, Jim steps in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wondrous Moment

## A Wondrous Moment

by Victoria May

Jim and Blair are owned by Pet Fly Productions. No money is being made from this fic-it is for entertainment purposes only. 

* * *

A Wondrous Moment  
By Victoria May 

Jim paused wearily outside the door to the loft and tilted his head so his left ear was closer to the scuffed green door. Hearing only one heartbeat, Jim sighed and lay his head tiredly against the door. His headache was easing and he was relieved that he wasn't interrupting his roommate and his date. It did strike him a bit odd though that Blair was alone in the loft. He had said he had an entire evening planned. 'Valentine's Day only comes once a year,' Blair's voice rang in Jim's head. 

Jim thanked whatever gods were looking out for him that evening as he slowly turned the lock. His night had been a disaster, from start to finish. He was glad to be home and wanted only to stand beneath a beating shower, grab a quick bite to eat, and then go to bed. While he felt bad that apparently Blair's evening must have been as bad as his own, he was happy that he didn't have to wait in the hallway, or worse, pay for a motel. 

As Jim shuffled through the door, his tired eyes registered the darkened room and his tense skin the chilly air. His rumbling belly took note of the fading smells his nose was picking up-a combination of Peking Duck, wild rice with saut mushrooms, strawberries smothered in chocolate, and the sweet scent of Dom Perignon overlaid by the lingering odor of rose and jasmine candles long burnt out. 

"Ah Chief," Jim mumbled as he took in the cold remains of what was to be an impressively romantic evening. Blair had been so excited about his date. He'd been seeing Angela for two months-a record that he boasted about proudly. He really thought there might be something more there and was prepared to commit to a long term relationship. It would have been his first. But Jim could tell that Blair had been alone all evening. There was no trace of perfume in the air and the dinnerware still sat untouched on the table. 

His sensitive ears picked up the sounds of gentle breathing coming from one of the couches and Jim turned his attention there. His roommate and guide lay wrapped in the throw from the couch, his head pillowed on his rolled up dinner jacket. Slight shivers coursed up and down his curled body. Blair's shoes lay under the coffee table-shiny and new, bought special for the evening. His entire outfit was new in fact. Blair had begged and cajoled until Jim agreed to go shopping with his fashion dysfunctional friend. He had helped Blair pick out the tan Society Brand suit and cream turtle neck which was now bunched up around the sleeping man's face. He had assured Blair that he looked stunning in the ensemble and was sure to be a hit with his date. Blair had scoffed at the idea, but Jim had been impressed at how well his guide dressed up. 

Jim tore his eyes away from his sleeping friend and they caught on a book lying open on the coffee table. The Poems, Prose and Plays of Alexander Pushkin. Jim picked up the book and glanced at the poem which was highlighted. "Wondrous Moment". A romantic dinner, candle light, poetry and a handsome man to boot. Jim wondered silently what had happened to his roommate's date-had she stood him up? Was she sick? No, Jim doubted that. Blair would have brought the evening to her. Did they break up? Jim was surprised to feel hopeful at the thought. Yes, he had missed having his friend around the last few months. Yes, he missed him tagging along at boring stakeouts. Yes, he even missed his mindless chatter as he was trying to watch the Jags game. But to be happy at the prospect that they might have broken up? Where had that come from? 

Jim sighed and set the book back on the table. His friend deserved better than this. Whatever 'this' was. He was the last person to deserve to sit home on this night of nights, alone and depressed. His guide was special. He had a huge heart. He truly cared about people. And when he loved he loved deeply and steadfastly. He just hadn't learned to love yet. And now, when he thought that he finally had found the 'one', his night ended on a sour note. 

Unlike Jim who was home of his own choice, Blair had been talking about his plans for days. Wine and dine his special lady and read her poetry by candle light. Jim had envied his friend's enthusiasm. Jim, caught up in Blair's rapture, hadn't wanted to be left out and so asked Lynn from personnel out for the evening. She had been catching him in the hall frequently, with quick questions about his file-saying she was updating the records. Only he hadn't noticed her stopping anyone else. Just him, every day. She was attractive-tall, brunette with soulful brown eyes and pouting lips. She was intelligent and witty and a great dancer. It should have been great. It wasn't. 

Oh sure, she was even more beautiful in a red sequined gown and high heels. Her legs longer, her eyes more exotic peering out from under long lashes, her exquisitely styled hair tumbling around her face reminiscent of the late thirties. She was a beauty. 

So when his skin began to burn then itch under his new Armani suit, and his eyes began to water from the rose in the center of the table, he blinked away the tears and ignored the searing pain on his skin. It was Valentine's Day after all, he could live with a little discomfort. But when his stomach rolled when his food was brought to the table and his ears began to ring louder than the band played, he knew he was in trouble. All he could think of was his guide, and how one touch would have grounded him so completely he could have lasted all night. And once he thought of Blair, he began to think about Blair at home, with Angela. Wondered how their evening was going. Wondered if his friend was thinking of him. So finally it all got to be too much and Jim excused himself, apologizing profusely for his untimely illness and offered to pay for a cab to take Lynn home. 

Jim glanced at his young friend again and realized that he was glad to be home and he was glad that Blair was here as well. Selfish, but true. Jim also realized that he felt great. His skin no longer burned, his eyes were clear, and his ears caught only the gentle sounds of his guide sleeping. Jim smiled and set about to repair the evening. 

A half an hour later, Blair stirred and woke slowly to a warmth that wrapped around his whole body. He was warm and it felt so good. He stretched lazily and opened his eyes slowly. The loft was bathed in a gentle light and Blair could see candles flickering on the end tables and coffee table. His nose twitched as the comforting smells of warm food wafted past. Mnn, it smelled divine and Blair could feel his mouth begin to water. As his eyes roamed the shadowy loft he noticed that the fire had been lit and was crackling softly. Finally, his eyes settled on his roommate. The sentinel sat quietly in the yellow chair looking at Blair. 

As Blair's eyes fell on him, Jim smiled and raised the book which had been resting in his lap. Clearing his throat, he began to read; 

"The wondrous moment of our meeting . . . I well remember you appear  
Before me like a vision fleeting,  
A beauty's angel pure and clear. 

"In hopeless ennui surrounding  
The worldly bustle, to my ear  
For long your tender voice kept sounding, For long in dreams came features dear. 

"Time passed. Unruly storms confounded Old dreams, and I from year to year  
Forgot how tender you had sounded,  
Your heavenly features once so dear. 

"My backwoods days dragged slow and quietDull fence around, dark vault aboveDevoid  
of God and uninspired,  
Devoid of tears, of fire, of love. 

"Sleep from my soul began retreating,  
And here you once again appear  
Before me like a vision fleeting,  
A beauty's angel pure and clear. 

"In ecstasy the heart is beating,  
Old joys for it anew revive;  
Inspired and God-filled, it is greeting The fire, and tears, and love alive." 

Blair lay stunned as the words faded to a close. After waiting over an hour for his date to show, and getting no answer when he called, Blair had resigned himself to a lost evening. Lost month. Lost year. He had thought he had finally found true love in Angela, but he had only been fooling himself. He knew Angela had not shared his excitement about this evening, had not even committed to the date. She had said she would let him know, and when she never said no, he assumed that meant yes. He was wrong. 

When she hadn't shown, Blair had been strangely relieved. Deep down, he knew what he wanted. Love, commitment, forever. But not with Angela. All his boasting of making it two months with her had been a farce. He'd already made a much more important commitment that spanned years. And that commitment meant more to him than any of his dates ever had. 

But how to conciliate his image of happiness with the real thing? It was something he tried not to think too heavily about. He knew how he felt when he was with Jim. Safe, loved, wanted and cherished. Needed. Things he had never felt before. But he didn't know how Jim felt. He didn't even know how he felt, beyond those simple, overwhelming emotions. What did it all mean? Did he love Jim? In what way? Did he want something more with Jim? Was he gay? Could he handle such a life altering change after all these years? Did he want to? 

Yes, Blair decided. He did want to. If it meant being loved and cherished and safe and wanted and needed. Love comes in all shapes, sizes, ages and genders. Now that he knew what it was to be loved, he never wanted to go back. 

Blair smiled at his friend, his sentinel, his heart. Sitting up, he pulled his feet towards his body and patted the couch cushion next to him. 

Jim closed the book and gently lay it on the table before settling next to Blair. He sighed and closed his eyes as Blair's arms came around his waist and he felt the curly head lean against his chest. Wrapping his own long arms around his partner, now in more ways than one, Jim held Blair close and marveled at the warmth that flowed between them. 

"I love you Blair," he murmured before gently placing a kiss on top of the other man's head. 

"I know Jim. I know. I love you too man. I love you too." 

* * *

End 

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